


Under the Surf

by cosmicfuss



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluffy, M/M, Two boys falling in love, mermaid au, the ocean is a matchmaker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-20 05:09:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11913873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmicfuss/pseuds/cosmicfuss
Summary: Lance makes a wish to the ocean. He wants someone who understands him, who feels what he feels.Keith makes a wish to the ocean. He wants someone who understands him, who looks at him the way his brother and his lover look at each other.





	Under the Surf

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this as a thank-you for reaching 200 followers on the Voltron Amino! That's so cool and I hope I write another fic for 300

"I'll spare you some of the nastier details, baby girl." Lance cooed, rocking her gently on his lap.

"No! I wanna know!" Bella was adamant about this, more so than she'd been when insisting sharks were 'good dogs.'

"Okay, okay, but you're not allowed to be a crybaby later." Lance sighed for dramatic effect, and Bella smiled wide.

"So, it all started when I was a young boy, probably only a little older than you-"

"Does this mean I'll find my true love soon?!" Bella bounced excitedly.

"Who knows, bombòn," Lance smiled, love practically oozing out of every- well cared for- pore on his body. God, he loved his baby Bella.

"Do you want to hear the rest of the story?"

"Yes!"

"Then hush," he tapped her nose. "When I was just older than you…

-:-

Lance believed that if you sat in the sand, letting the surf roll up to you on its own time, and talked gently to the ocean she would hear you. Lance talked to her every night, staying away from the touristy parts of the beach.

Despite having a large family, Lance asked for a friend. He told her about how he felt loved and cared for and treasured, but like he wasn't the same as his mama, his papi, his older sisters and brothers. Maybe because he was the youngest one in the family right now, maybe because he'd met a boy in class and had been breathless. None of his brothers seemed to look like they were soaring when other boys talked to them.

Lance asked the ocean for someone that was the same as him, someone that might look at Lance one day and be breathless.

The ocean responded with an unusually large wave, crashing over the nine year old boy. He panicked, tried to stumble back, but his back hit the sand and she pulled him further. He was a strong swimmer, but against the determined ocean it meant little.

She kept him safe, though.

His head never bobbed below the surface, the current that had yanked him from the shore was now weaker, allowing him to swim. He trusted her, so he stayed in place just a little longer.

Then he saw it. Saw him?

Saw something _beautiful_.

The creature resembled a boy, young like Lance, but had pinkish-red scales on his shoulders, and the silky black hair on his head was flattened with water enough that Lance saw pointed, pink-scaled ears. In the dark, Lance could only see him due to two markings on his face, just below his eyes.

Lance wasn't breathless, somehow. His body felt infinitely warm in the cold ocean water, though, and his bones seemed to vibrate under his skin. His git felt like a swarm of bees trying to escape up out of his throat.

"I'm Lance!" Tactless and honest, Lance waved at the boy.

"Keith."

-:-

"Oh my god!" Isabelle gasped, hands flying to her cheeks. " _This is it_! The moment the clam prince meets his bride!"

"Clam prince? Which one is?"

"You," she giggled at Lance, who couldn't help but join.

"I do love eating clams."

-:-

Lance didn't see Keith again for many years, but he never forgot him.

Lance went out every night he could, going back to that same spot on the beach at first and then widening his searching spots to more remote places.

It wasn't until his fifteenth birthday that Lance saw that flash of red again.

He wasn't actively searching anymore, he'd given up hope of ever meeting him again. Lance continued his nightly walked down the beach though, it gave him peace of mind after stressful days.

Lance was sitting on a rock, close to the water due to the high tide. That's where he saw it. _Him_.

Lance froze, watching the head of black hair bobbing in the water. He didn't want to scare the boy off, so he remained completely still, watching his head.

"I'm glad to see you again," Lance's voice bounced through the air, low and gentle. The boy swam closer.

"I've been hoping I'd see you again, y'know." Lance stated, inching towards the edge of the rock.

"Why?" Keith demanded, voice unsure and wary.

"I…" What was Lance supposed to say? That he thought this merboy was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and that when he looked at him again it made his organs shake and skin burn? "The ocean. I asked her for a friend and you came."

Lance slipped into the water and felt at home. He looked into the boy's eyes, thankful he hadn't swim off, and felt like he'd never left home at all.

"She… She brought me to you, too."

-:-

"Now he didn't elaborate on it at the time, but what he meant to say was-"

"I asked her to find me love."

-:-

Keith didn't take six years to show himself this time. Just two.

Keith showed up just before dark, as if waiting for Lance to reach a specific spot on the beach. It was completely isolated and impossible to see if you didn't go a specific way, and the ocean seemed to almost guide Lance there.

He knew better than to doubt her.

"Keith!" Lance grinned, seeing him by a rock.

"Lance." Keith nodded back, a small smile on his own face.

"How've you been? It's been a couple years 'n' all." Lance smiled, sitting in the sand.

"A lot… a lot has happened. But it's okay now, things are stabilizing again." Lance had no clue what had happened, but was relieved that it wasn't too bad.

"So am I gonna see you in one year instead of two this time?" Lance played it like a joke, but he was dying to know when he'd see Keith next. It was hard for him to know that Keith was just out there and never be able to see him, save a few minutes every so-many years.

"Actually…" Lance's face fell. "I was wondering, do you maybe want to come… come visit?" Lance was dumbstruck. If he wasn't sitting he would've fallen face-first into the sand.

"I can do that?"

"Allura, the queen now, thinks it's a good idea." Lance felt a swell in his chest.

"A mermaid queen knows about me?" Keith talked about me? Lance was giddy, eyes shining in wonder.

"Yeah, I… I've mentioned you. She said she wants to meet you, to see if she can trust humans." Something about Keith looked unsure, unsteady. It broke Lance's heart a little.

"I want to come." He kept his tone sure and steady enough for the both of them, and Keith's eyes widened. Had he thought Lance would refuse? Did that mean he wanted Lance to go with him?

"You do?" He nodded vicariously.

"I do! How can I do it!" Lance wanted to put Keith at ease, to know he meant it.

"Blumfump made this," Keith offered Lance the bubbler. "You make a bubble underwater and you can breathe. That's why it took so long for me to come." Lance waded knee-deep and took it, closer to Keith than he's ever been. He could see Keith's tail through the water, admired the hues of red, and sees the fins on his arms, reddish-pink.

"I'm gonna have to thank him for this." Lance smiled, and it was like a weight was taken off his heart. It hadn't been Keith's choice to stay away, he'd had to wait. He waited for Lance.

"When should I go?" Lance asked, crouching so he and Keith were both in the water. He didn't care about his clothes, they always ended up getting wet in the ocean anyway.

"We can leave whenever. You'll be gone for a while, though. Probably a week." Keith said, voice even. He doesn't want me to change my mind, Lance realized, _and he's afraid I will._

"That's fine be me. I'll meet you here tomorrow morning, is that okay?" Lance grinned, watching as Keith's face cracked its stoic mask as he smiled.

"Yeah."

Tomorrow came too slow, and Lance told his family he'd be gone for a while, taking a trip around the peninsula to relax. It wasn't uncommon for Lance's older siblings to be gone for a while, so he managed to pull it off too.

He met Keith just before 7, early enough to watch the sun rising in the sky. Keith was relaxing on a rock, splayed out comfortably. Lance's breath hitched, watching Keith watch the sky.

"Thank you." Lance murmured to the ocean, quiet but loud enough for Keith to hear. He turned to look at Lance, confused.

-:-

"You almost killed me."

"Did not! If anyone came close to death it was me! You were so pretty!"

"I thought I was having organ malfunctions!"

On Lance's lap, Bella giggled.

-:-

The castle was huge. Lance could've spent every waking moment of his week there exploring and still not be close to finished by the end of it. It was also, unsurprisingly, filled with water.

Allura was a fucking _vision_ , and if she asked Lance to jump he'd say how high. She had long, silver hair, and her scales were an ombré of pink to purple. Just below her eyes were glowing pink markings, like the red ones Keith had.

She'd been incredibly kind and gentle, but even if Lance hadn't known she was queen, he would've _known_. She had an air of royalty, a voice that made you want to obey not just due to her title but due to her abilities. Lance didn't even know her and he could tell how capable and strong she was.

She let Keith show Lance around, and the question popped out as they wandered the halls.

"How do you know Allura anyway?"

"My brother, Shiro, is a leading commander. Led a lot of battles." Keith said, and Lance watched as his shoulders slowly began to relax. So it was hard for him to talk about? Lance felt warmer knowing that Keith had still said it.

Eventually, Keith brought him to a room, the one Lance would be staying at. The doors slid open to reveal an almost waterless room, one side had a pool of water with a large lily-pad-like thing while the other was dry and had a little bed.

"Um, Allura had this room specially designed so that we- ah, you could sleep here." Keith said, swimming directly into the pool from the door. Lance wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a genius feat of engineering like an underwater cave or if it was magic.

"It was built for two, right? You can sleep here if you want, I'm okay with it." Keith seemed to think on his words and then nodded.

"Okay."

-:-

"Can you blame me! It was like I kidnapped you and then forced you to share a room for me." Keith huffed, arms folded.

"I agreed to go, and I wanted to share a room with you." Lance argued, knowing he'd mimic Keith had Bella not been on his lap, arms around her.

"You're telling it all wrong anyway, it's my turn." Bella clapped as Keith scooped her up and put her on his lap.

"Mi bombòn," Lance gasped, a hand clutching at his heart in faux pain.

-:-

Keith waited at the beach the whole night, resting in a bed of kelp and watching the moon from under the waves. He couldn't believe that, after all this time, he was actually seeing Lance again.

When Zarkon led rebels against Altea, the loyal citizens were surprised by how large Zarkon's numbers were. Alfor asked Shiro to lead his armies, and Keith was left at the castle where it was safest as a thank-you of sorts so Shiro wouldn't worry as much.

When Zarkon raided the castle, Coran took Allura and Keith to where they would be safe from Zarkon and locked them there while he fought along side Alfor.

In the end, Zarkon and Alfor ended up killing each other, both using every reserve of their strength and life-force to defeat the other. Coran had been protecting Alfor during the fight, keeping intruders away so Alfor could put all his focus on Zarkon.

While they were locked together, Keith tried to distract the princess from what was happening. He told her about his wish from years ago, how he'd looked at her and his brother and yearned for the same kind of connection with another being.

He told her how the ocean had beckoned him out, brought him to the surface where he met a land-dweller. He described how his heart had stopped when they locked eyes, how he could feel the markings on his face radiating light.

Allura had held Keith close and told him what it meant. She promised that, one day, she'd grant them happiness- Keith thinks that maybe it's her way of having a reason to keep going in these trying times, but then he knows better, knows how strong she is.

Coran had to be the one who retrieved Allura and Keith, told them what happened.

Even in the times of mourning, Keith doesn't stop thinking about Lance. About that boy's smile, about his tan, scaleless skin, about his teeth that had been like pearls.

Months later, Keith hears about Blumfump. He's a genius inventor, a miracle worker of sorts. Keith needs a miracle.

He asks Blumfump if there was any way he could persuade him to make something that would let a land-dweller enter Altea. Blumfump says that if Keith will be his errand boy until it's finished he has a deal.

Working for Blumfump is not easy. The man requires either five meals a day or none, and he tended to send Keith out on wild marlin chases for things that didn't actually exist and he'd thought of while napping. Keith worked for him for over a year, waiting (im)patiently for him to finish the device.

When the time finally came, he went to the surface for Lance. He was shocked to see how much Lance had changed. He was still the bright-eyed boy Keith had met in the ocean that night, but he also wasn't.

The Lance that stood before him now was darker from the sun, and he had curly brown hair on his head that looked like it'd be really, _really_ soft. He had shot up in height, too.

Lance readily agreed to come with him, and Keith wondered if he was really alright with this. Thinking about that made him wonder how Lance felt about him.

The ocean had brought them together because Keith had asked it for love, right? So did Lance love him? He didn't think he loved Lance, but he felt like he _could_.

He imagined them older, in love.

It made his chest ache in a way that worried Keith, made him think there was a medical issue.

-:-

"Wait you really thought you were having a heart attack?" Lance blanched, staring at Keith.

"Yes! You live your whole life fine and then your chest starts to feel like it's physically constricting, it's a little worrying." Keith frowned, only grinning when Bella hooked her arms around Keith's neck in a hug.

"I wanna hear what happens next!" She urged, bouncing on his lap.

-:-

Allura looked Keith over happily, seeing his usual stoicness had somewhat warmed into… _something_.

"How is your Lance?"

"He's fi- He's not _my_ Lance!" Keith flushed, and Allura smiled at him. Shiro swam into the common area they were in, a grin on his face.

"Good morning Keith! Allura," he gave her a peck on the cheek. "How was the first night?"

Keith's face filled with color as he said, "It was… calming. I think." He and Lance had stayed up for a long time, just talking. They got to know each other better, and the more Keith discovered about Lance the more he felt…

He couldn't quite explain it but it was like his life until now had been the middle parts of a puzzle, and Lance was the edges. He'd lived his life till now feeling complete, but Lance was like another layer he hadn't known was supposed to be there.

Lance swam in not long after, automatically making his way over to Keith. He stayed there while he got acquainted with Shiro and talked more to Allura, then Coran who came in eventually.

Keith just listened to him talk, watching as Lance talked with his mouth and his hands, as his expressions changed freely. There was a light in his eyes that Keith thought everyone maybe needed- Allura would later, much, _much_ later, confess that it was, that two years after her father had died Lance instilled a kind of hope and radiance in her that she used to rule her people with as much warmth as Alfor had.

Slowly, unconsciously, Keith and Lance leaned towards each other. Keith ended up partaking in some of the conversation, laughing at one of Lance's stupid jokes.

-:-

"My jokes are not stupid! Don't listen to him, Bella." Lance scooped her up, letting her get comfortable before he continued.

-:-

Coran lead them to the dining hall, serving green goop for breakfast. Lance thought of Hunk's french toast, how good it would be right now. Realizing Coran was watching him expectantly, Lance took a bite.

It… wasn't too terrible. It tasted like seaweed but had the consistency of jello. The thought of several foods he'd eaten far worse than this had him swallowing it down thankfully.

Coran ate his own fill, proud of himself.

Lance accompanied Keith around the castle, and agreed happily when Keith asked if he wanted to see the rest of Altea. The city was _beautiful_.

Keith didn't take him anywhere in particular, just swimming through the streets- paths? Lance wasn't sure what to call it- at random. He went slower than normal for Lance to soak it all in, and the revelation touched Lance's heart.

The Altean roads were illuminated by lamppost-like pearls(?), the little shops and buildings that lined the sides of the street looked like the heads of giant jellyfish, though were mostly opaque- only certain shops had walls thin enough to see vague shapes through, and Keith told him that meant they were older and would end up getting replaced soon.

Bioluminescent fish swam around, some in small clumps and some in large schools. Lance watched as two merfolk- Lance was told this was an acceptable name- met up, waving at each other. Both of their facial markings glowed when they saw the other, and Lance cocked his head curiously.

"Why did their face-marks glow?" Keith didn't meet his gaze, scratching his head.

"They glow when we meet our loves." Lance thought back to when he was nine, asking the ocean for someone who understood, how when he and Keith saw each other his marks flowed a bright red.

"Oh." Lance breathed, maybe too quiet for Keith to hear.

-:-

"Nah, I didn't. I was too busy mentally panicking because I'd basically just told you you were the love of my life." Keith sighed, and Bella leapt off of Lance and to Keith.

"You did?! What happened next!" She squealed, and Keith put a hand on her head affectionately.

"Nothing interesting after that. In fact, the next couple days went by without much going on didn't they?"

"Yeah, we were both just sitting on the fact that we were meant for each other. We were dummies and didn't talk about it until we had to." Lance laughed, leaning back and letting Keith go on. Bella yawned, snuggling against Keith.

-:-

Allura was getting quite tired of watching Lance and Keith flounder about- Keith knew this because she told Shiro who told him. She knew that Keith had told Lance about why his marks had glowed, and yet the two made no progress- she knew this because Keith told Shiro who told her.

Allura gathered them all up in the commons area again, suggesting they try group bonding exercises. She held a sack with numbers in it, and they all drew numbers- Allura had invited her friend Shay to even it out- and whoever they matched with had to go somewhere else and talk about… whatever? Keith didn't fully understand the point of this game.

First he was with Shay. This was their first time talking, and Keith wasn't much of a chatterbox so it ended up being Shay who spoke most of the time. Ten dobashes later and they regrouped.

This time Keith was with Coran, who talked nonstop given the opportunity. He gushed about how proud of Allura he was, how she was endlessly wise beyond her years. Keith really didn't say anything.

When they regrouped, Keith noticed that Lance's ears had been tinged pink. He saw he was with Shiro and inwardly groaned. What did he say to Lance that did that?

His questions would soon be answered because Keith and Shiro were grouped together next. Literally the first thing he said was, "What did you say to Lance?" Shiro chuckled, patting the bench beside him to signal him to sit.

"He mostly just asked about you, you know. All I did was answer his questions. As your brother and dear advisor, I gave him my blessing that you two may be together." Shiro grinned, an arm slung around Keith.

"Advisor since wh- wait you did what?" Keith would argue that he did not shriek, simply raised his voice an octave.

"Relax, I'm only half joking." Shiro said, a satisfied smile still in place. Keith put his head in his hands, not even wanting to imagine what happened.

"In all seriousness, Keith, you really should tell him how you feel." Keith groaned at that.

"It's not that easy, I-"

Their alarm went off, signaling it time to return to the commons area.

Lance looked worse than before, this time following Allura back to the room.

After it was confirmed that Keith and Lance would be forced to sit together for ten dobashes, Allura told them to wait.

"Before you go, I just want you to know that this time it'll be a full varga! Have fun, and don't cheat!" Allura waved, walking off with Shay.

"How long is a varga? A day? A week? A month?" Lance asked, putting a hand to his head for dramatic flair.

"An hour." Keith said, voice dry from nerves.

"That's not too bad, right buddy?" Lance smiled, clapping Keith on the shoulder. His ears were still pink, like he was still thinking about his time with Shiro and Allura. Keith knew he didn't look much different.

They went into the gardens for their varga of time together. It was awkwardly quiet at first, and they sat there as ticks turned to dobashes and neither of them could _take it_ anymore.

"Look Shiro told me-"

"Allura said-"

"You can go first!"

"Oh… Okay, Shiro told me that you guys talked about me a lot. And that he said some things. Look, if it makes you uncomfortable or anything you can just forget about it." Keith said in one quick breath, not meeting Lance's eyes.

"Allura told me she can bestow marks on me. I won't be one of the merfolk, not really, but I can get marks and gils and be welcomed whenever I come." Lance went quiet after that. Keith waited for him to go on, to say "but I turned her down because that's not what I want." He didn't. So Keith looked up at him.

"I told her I'd accept depending on you. I know what the glowing meant back then, and I know how _I_ feel, but… what about you?" Lance looked afraid, afraid of what Keith would say. Keith knew how he felt because he felt it too. If it was Keith saying this and Lance said he didn't feel the same, it'd kill him.

"I want to… to be with you. I want us to, I don't know, keep seeing each other and let _this_ ," Keith motioned between them, "become something bigger." Lance looked like he could cry, his mouth growing to a large grin.

"I do, too." Lance held out a hand and Keith took it, entwining their fingers together.

-:-

Bella looked up with half-lidded eyes, smiling happily.

"What did you do next? Did Allura give you legs, too?" Her voice came out quiet, but Keith picked it up.

"Yeah, she did." Keith smiled, rubbing circles into her back.

"It's about time for you to get to bed, kiddo." Lance grinned, gently picking her up.

"No, I wanna hear the end!" Bella yawned for the umpteenth time that night, and Lance rolled his eyes.

"You can't hear the end of something that isn't finished. What, are you tryna write me and your daddy as dead now?" Lance chuckled at her small gasp of horror.

" _Papa, no!_ But what did you do after that? Did Allura marry Shiro? How did Uncle Hunk meet Auntie Shay? Did Allura give Auntie legs too?" Bella was slowly waking herself up again, and Lance pressed a kiss into her hair.

"Why don't we save those stories for another night?" Keith suggested, rising to stand with Lance. Bella fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow, a soft smile on her face.

When the two settled into bed, Lance curled around Keith, the room was lit by faint blue and red glows, casting shadows on the walls of their room.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! I don't know if I'll write a spinoff containing Shallura's story or for Hunay's story, it depends on how popular the idea gets I guess? Again, thank you for 200 followers on the Voltron Amino, this one's for you!!


End file.
